MG Car Repair: 1975 Midget Ignition Switch, Starter Solenoid and Oil Pressure, starter solenoid, starter wire

Question
Howard,
Thank you for replying to my question 8/18/08. I have finally had a chance to try your suggestion. I still am not sure whats going on here. I do have a 1975 wiring diagram from the net. Here is the vehicles back ground and my problems.

Restoring the car and ready to start working through starting the car for the first time on 24 years. When I picked up the vehicle the engine was rebuilt and never put back into the car. I now have everything back together and trying to turn the starter over. I have never started or driven an MG.

1. Is the ignition switch supposed to spring back when turned forward to the start position? Just like vehicles today mine does not. If so can I rebuild the switch and how does it come off the steering post?

2. The starter solenoid has 4 threaded post coming out. When looking down at the solenoid when mounted from the driver side of the vehicle. The closest large bolt has 3 small brown and positive battery cable. The next small post has the white/brown wire. The other small post has a white/green wire. The second large post has the starter wire connected to it. Are these wires in the proper location? Nothing happens in this configuration. But all the lights, flashers, etc. work. If I switch the two small post wires the starter will then turn over the engine, but have other wiring issues, lights, flashers, etc. will not work until you turn the key to full on. So does this prove the that the starter solenoid is bad?

3. I also have a brown and green loose wires coming from the starter switch wiring harness. These wires were cut flush when I purchased the car. Not sure what these wires go to. I have not been able to trace them out in the wiring diagram. Brown wire has 12V when checked to ground and green wire.

4. Oil pressure. When turning over the engine using one of the wiring configurations above. I am getting no oil pressure reading on the gauge. I removed the hose from the side block connection and do not have any oil coming out when turning over the engine. I also removed the oil filter and did not find any oil pumped into the filter. I placed 4 quarts of oil into the engine and show oil just above the full mark on the stick. Should I have primed the oil pump some how? Not sure how.

5. Cooling system is full I think. Placed a 50/50 mix in the filling port on top and see fluid and have added to the system after turning over the engine checking oil pressure. Should I prime the system more?

Looking for help.
Thanks, Keith

Answer
Keith,
1. Yes
2. Probably means the two small wires were reversed.
3. The small harness from the ignition switch was manufactured by another company and the color codes were not always correct so you have to check their function and match them up with the appropriate wire in the harness according to what they do in which key position.
4. Remove the gauge line from the block and stick a hose on the fitting and place a small funnel on the hose and put about a tea cup of engine oil in the funnel. Then hand rotate the crankshaft backwards (counter clockwise as you face the engine) The oil in the funnel should go down the hose. Reconnect the pipe and spin the engine with the plugs out and you should see oil pressure very quickly. (about 35 PSI with the starter)
5. One time after a fill up is usually enough but check it after it runs for a minute or so.
Howard